Machine for making hollow articles from pulp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. M. STARR.

MACHINE FOR MAKING HOLLOW ARTICLES FROM PULP.

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(No Model.)

0. M. STARR, MACHINE FOR MAKING HOLLOW ARTICLES FROM PULP.

No. 429,366. Patented June 3, 1890 lNVENTOH A TTOHNEYS.

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UNITED STAT S "ATE/NT CHARLES M. STARR, OF EDIVARDSBURG, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,366, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed November 14, 1889. Serial No. 330,323. (No model.)

To all whom zit-may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. STARR, of Edwardsburg, in the county of Cass and State of Michigan, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Hollow Articles from Pulp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to presses or machines for making pails or tubs or other like articles from pulp, in which a mold is used composed, mainly, of a perforated hollow frustum and a water-proof flexible or india-rubher bag or hood outside of the frustum, and

in which the stock or pulp is introduced into the mold-at the central portion of its crown or upper part, suction being employed to draw the fiber into the mold and to extract the water from it, and steam, compressed air, or other fluid under pressure being employed outside of the rubber bag and within a suitable outer chamber to press and form the pulp into its required shape within the mold, the frustum being stationary while the molding of the stock is being performed.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts in a machine of this description, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of referenceindica'te corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a machine for making pails from pulp embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, in part, upon the line attain Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1, but only of the upper portion of the machine, and showing certain of the operative parts in different working positions. Fig. 4 is a partlysectional side elevation of the upper portion of the machine in part. Fig. 5 is an under side view of the base-piece of the perforated frustum, with attached means for holding it in its raised and stationary position when the molding is being performed. Fig. 6 is aper- Spective view of certain mechanism for regulating the introduction of the compressed air or other medium under pressure into the chamber inclosing the rubber bag. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a split or expanding the molding of the pail.

and contracting perforated cover, which is placed over the frustum or formerof the machine.

A indicates the outer chamber, into which the compressing-fluid is introduced to effect This chamber, as usual, is in the form externally of a frustoconical hood, or approximately so, and is socured by a lower base-flange to the top of two or more uprights B from the floor O. The base-piece b of this vessel A has a series (here only shown as two) of annular grooves c in its upper surface, and the top of said vessel on its under surface is similarly grooved, as shown at c, to hold and receive within the vessel the top and bottom edges of a circular or conical perforated sheet-metal distributer D for the compressed air or other fluid under pressure, and the action .of which will be hereinafter explained. I

E is the foraminous or perforated frustum of the mold, provided, first, with a perforated and flexible sheet-metal cover or gauze of, applied to the sides of the frustum only, and, secondly, with an outer cover d, of woven cloth or other analogous porous material; and F is the rubber bag, arranged at a suitable distance around or outside of said frustum, suitably secured below, and at its top secured to the under side of a hollow and perforated cap E, which serves to form the bottom of the pail, and is constructed to also form the chine around said bottom.

The object of the perforated distributer D is to equalize or distribute the entry of the compressing-fluid into the space all around the rubber bag, so as to cause it to act simultaneously, or thereabout, over the whole surface of the rubber bag, and the object of the grooves c c in the base-piece Z) of the vessel A and in the top of said vessel is to provide for holding the upper and lower edges of the distributer D in place and to suit different diameters of distributers.

I is a suction-pipe, provided with a cock 0 and arranged to communicate with a pipe I, which projects up through the cylinder G and has a stuffing-box on its upper end, through which a tubular leg 1 attached to the bottom of the frustum E, is free to work up and down as said frustum is raised or lowered. These pipes I I l establish communication with the interior of the frustum at its base.

J is an air pipe or hose, also provided with a cock f and communicating at its lower end with the pipe I and at its upper end with a comparatively vertical short tube or hollow cylinder K. The tube K (see Figs. 1 and 3) is screwed at its lower endinto the upper half of the hollow cap or die E, which upper half is not perforated, only the lower half of said cap or die being perforated and faced with wire-cloth or other suitable venting material a so as to relieve the cap from the bottom of the formed pail". This tube K is hermetically closed at its top by any well-known means around an interior upright sliding tube or hollow shaft L, leaving a space between the two tubes K and L, connecting with which is the pipe or hose J, for, when the cooks c andf are opened, producing suction in the mold to draw off water from the mold brought in by the fiber or stock. This suction, which may be produced by a pump connected with the pipe I, is established just as or before the tube L, which projects above the tube K, is slid up through a standard M, that serves in part to guide or carry it.

The tube L is fitted with a stuffing-box g at its top, through which a rod N passes. This rod N, that extends down to the cap E and projects up above the stufiing-box has a piston h at its lower end adapted to fill the bore of the tube L. The rod N slips at its top through a hole in a bar 0, and has a nut screwed on its upper end to hold it to said bar. Between this bar 0 and the stuffingbox 9 is aspiral spring 1', which exerts a tendency to raise the rod N. The bar 0 is pivoted to another bar 0, which is connected below with a forked hand-lever P, that has its fulcrum on a forked notched bracket Q, connected by set-screws with the tube L. This lever P serves to raise and lower the rod N, with its attached piston 71, as required, to open or to shut off supply of stock to the mold.

The stock is introduced into the tube L by a pipe R, which passes through a vertical slot Z in the standard M. (See Fig. 4.) The pulp is supplied under pressure through this pipe R to the tube L. 15y operating the lever P so as to lower the rod N until said lever, or rather a hand-lever catch n, carried by said lever, engages with a notch in the bracket Q, as shown in Fig. 3, which holds the lever P up, the piston h will be depressed below the bottom half of the cap or die E, thereby admitting pulp to the mold. WVhen the mold is full and the die or cap E is lifted by the pressure below it, the hand-lever P is also carried up and strikes under a set-screw m in a standard S, mounted on the vessel A, thereby releasing the catch 41. from the notch in the forked bracket Q, when the spring 11 will, through the connection of said lever with the rod N by the bars 0 0, lift the rod N with its attached piston h, and thereby automatically shut off the supply of pulp to the mold.

To guide the piston 71 when rising to insure its entry within the tube L after the latter has been depressed below the bottom of the cap or die E, said piston, or the rod N, which carries it, is provided with wing-guides 0. The piston 7t thus forms a piston-valve to the tube L. I

Extending up over the top of the stuflingboX g and connected with the tube L is an inverted-U-shaped bar or strap T, which serves to keep the rod N from being raised too high, also to which the chain or cord .9 is fastened, by which the tubes K L and their attachments, including the whole die or mold, may be raised by suitably operating a handlever U, to which the other end of the chain, that passes over a pulley 'v, is attached. When the die E, with its attachment, is thus raised by the lever U, said lever occupies a lowered position. The inner end of said lever then acts upon a spring-catch a, to cause it to engage with a lip 12' on the tube K to hold the die E, with its attachments, raised. \Vhen the die part E is thus raised by the chain-lever U, the die part E is not raised to its full limit, and the lever P by its catch n is not tripped from the notched forked bracket Q, as shown in Fig. 3, but is afterward tripped from engagement therewith by the pressure of the pulp in the mold, as the latter is filled, acting upon the under side of the die part E. So soon as the pressure of the pulp below the die part E raises the latter, the spring-catch a flies outward (see Fig. 1) away from the tube K,whereby the die part E and tubes K L and their attachments may freely descend, the lever P and its connections 0 0 then allowing the spring 1' to raise the rod N, with its attached valve 72, to fully shut off further supply of pulp to the mold.

\Vhen charging the mold with pulp, the pressure to act upon the pulp in the mold is preferably only admitted gradually, as by so doing the pulp is more regularly and perfectly compacted in the mold. This is done by means of a clock-work escapement mechanism of any suitable kind applied to a cock (3' in the pipe R, which conducts the compressed air or other pressure medium to the mold. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, attached to the plug of said cock C is a shaft (1. A spiral spring 6 is fastened at its one end to this shaft and at its other end to the shell of the cock. On the outer end of the plug-shaft d is secured a hand-wheel f. On said shaft also is a loose escapement-wheel g,with which a pendulum h, that may be pivoted at z" to any suitable support, engages by a tooth 7cthat is, two teeth, one on either side of the axis of the wheel, as in escapements generally.

Outside of the escapementwheel is a ratchet-wheel 1', fast on a sleeve on, and with which a pawl n on the escapement-wheel engages. Upon or near the outer end of said sleeve m is another ratchet or toothed wheel 0, that engages with slots in a straight spring 0", which may be attached to the pipe R or other fixture. (See Figs. 1, 8, and 6.) When .the hand-wheel f is turned so as to shut off pressure through the plug of. the cock 0, the spring e being wound up, the escapement mechanism operates through the spring e to gradually turn on pressure. Of course this does not occur untilthe pulp is shut off automatically, when a bent or twisted spring R attached to the lever P, strikes the free end of the slotted spring 0, and knocking it down releases the ratchet-wheels Z 0. The sleeve m fits over the plug-shaft, with friction enough to resist the action of the spring e, so that, if desired, the plug can be independently turned by the hand-wheelfto put on pressure.

The cock 0' is a three-way one. In using the machine this cock is turned so as to connect with the atmosphere, as shown in Fig. 8, and as it is so turned the spiral spring e is partially wound up. Then when pressure is turned on automatically by the liberation of the escapement mechanism said cock turns so as to shut off connection with the outside air and make connection by the pipe R with the boiler, reservoir, or other device which supplies the medium under pressure to the chamber A. Thus after the cock 0 has been turned to communicate with the outside air and the spring e wound up, as described, said spring is held at its tension by the engagement of the ratchet-wheel 0 with the slotted spring 7". Now, when the supply of pulp is shut off by pulling down the lever P, said lever in descending strikes by its attached spring R on the free end of the spring 1' and disengages it from the ratchet 0. The cock 0' then turns so as to shut off connection with the atmosphere and establish connection between the pressure-supply vessel and the chamber A by the action of the escapement mechanism controlling the cock. In this way the pressure is admitted to the chamber A in a gradual and automatic man- It should here be observed that when the spring R strikes by means of a lip-piece s on the end of the slotted spring r, carrying it down, it holds said spring 4" till pressure is turned on and the die part E, with its connections, begins to descend, when in the further descent of the spring R the lip s slips off the end of the spring 1", which latter, being released, then flies back to its original position and holds the valve 0', as shown in Fig. 1.

The die part E is held up while the mold is being filled with pulp, and when the lever U is pulled down so as to raise the'die part E with its attachments the lower end of said lever presses against the spring-catch Ct, to engage it with the notched portion or lip 19 of the tube K. (See Fig. 3.} The lever-U is now immediately raised to its normal position, and the die part E, wit-h its attachments, is then upheld by the spring-catch a, which latter will fly back and release the die part E and its attachments so soon as the same are raised up a little by the pulp in the mold. The object of having the die part E,'with its attachments, upheld by the spring-catch a,

as described, is to causethe same to be released automatically.

Attached to the annular base b ofthe vessel A' is an inwardly-projecting ring b between which and the base the lower fiange of the rubber bag F is clamped. This clampingring has its inner margin beveled, and the pailring if has its outer margin correspondingly I beveled, so as to fit up against the clampingring. The pail-ring b fits around the frustum E and rests upon the base-flange b thereof and projects somewhat over it. The upper face part H of the hydraulic plunger H forms the bottom or base of the frnstum E, and may be of the same size diametrically as the base-fiangebiexceptingattwo oppositepoints, Where two lugs 19 b are formed. (See more particularly Fig. 5.) By this construction the pail-ring b generally projects a little over the base of the frustum. The object of this is to provide, if desired, for placing stops under the press, so that when the mold, with its molded pail, descends by the lowering of the plunger H the pail-ring'b" may strike said stops and be upheld by the latter, and thus not only loosen the formed pail, but cause it to be removedfrom the frustum; or theformed pail may be lifted by hand or any suitable means by the loose ring b from OK the frustnm. After the pail has been formed suction is turned off by suitably operatingthe cock 6, and the cockfis turned on, so as to admit air, in order that the air will ascend the hose J to the tube K, and thence down to and between the hollow die part or cap E. As the formed pail is lowered away from the die part E air comes through the perforations in the lower half of said die part, and thus vents the pail from the die. The lugs 19 19 have bolted to them slotted slides 19 5 which. work up and down the uprights B B as the plunger H is raised or lowered, and which serve to lock or hold the plunger and its attachments when raised by suitable mechanism, which is here shown as consisting of a hand-lever b on the under side of the portion H of the plunger H, and connected, as by rods 0 c and levers 0 with the slides b t. forated frustum E, having its perforated and porous coverings a 01- applied to it, be raised and locked in position, as in Fig. 1, the first operation will be to pull down the lever U, and afterward return it to its normal or Vertical position. This raises the die part E and its attachments, in which position they are held by the spring-catch a. (See Fig. 3.) The cock 6 is then turned to put on suction, the cock f being closed. Next the lever P is Supposing the perraised until its lever-catch it engages with the notch in the bracket Q. Pulp thereby is admitted to the mold, and the rubber bag F expands until it touches the pi'essure distributer D. The pressure of pulp in the mold now lifts the die part E, with its tubes K and L and their appendages, until the lever-catch it hits the thumb-screw m, thereby releasing the lever P. As soon as the die part E, with its attachments, is thus raised the springcatch a flies out from engagement with the tube K, and said die part is free to descend. The supply of pulp is thus shut off automatically, and as this takes place the lever P, carryin g the spring R moves down and, striking the end of the slotted spring 1'', knocks thelatter down, and so provides, as hereinbefore described, for, by the action of the eseapement and spring 6, controlling the cock 0, to let the pres ure on gradually to the chamber or vessel A, said cock having previously been turned to wind up the spring 6 and give escape to the atmosphere from the vessel A of air displaced by the expansion of the rubber bag F. The heavy pressure introduced into the chamber A by the pipe R forces the rubber bag toward the frustum E, around which it contracts, and the die part E is also driven down and forms and presses the end of the pail. WVhen the pail is formed or pressed, the cock 0 is turned so as to shut off pressure and to allow the medium under pressure in the vessel A to escape to the atmosphere. If water be used as the pressing medium, then the same may be drawn off by a cock in the bottom of the vessel A. Suction is then turned oflf and the cock f turned to admit air to the hose J, and the base of the frustum is unlocked by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. The pressure in the hydraulic cylinder G is also allowed to escape, which admits of the frustum E descending. The pail being removed from said former or frustum, the flexible perforated cover a, which is made expansible and contractible around said frustum, shrinks away from the inside of the pail and is removed, as also the cloth bonnet or cover (I.

Said bonnet (1 is then drawn over the flexible or contractible cover a, which is readily done. Then both are shoved down over the frustum E, and the latter raised to its previous position by admitting pressure to the cylinder G, and then looked in position for the formation of another or succeeding pail.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine or press for making pails and other hollow articles from pulp by fluidpressure, the combination, with the rising and .falling die part E, with its attachments,of a

spring-catch operating to hold said die part partially raised, and mechanism for controlling the same, essentially as set forth.

2. In a machine for making pails and other hollow articles from pulp by fluid-pressure, the combination, with the rising and falling die part E, its attached tubes K and L, the piston-valve h and its rod N, spring 2', and 1cver U, with its connection operating to lift said die part, of the spring catch a, actuated by said lever and arranged to engage with the tube K, the lever P, with its connections 0 O, the notched bracket Q, the levercatch n, and the stop m, whereby not only pulp is admitted to the press and the die part E held raised while pulp is being supplied, but after the press has been charged further supply of pulp is automatically shut off, substantially as described.

3. In a press for making pails and other hollow articles from pulp by fluid-pressure, the combination, with the mechanism by which the supply of pulp is controlled and shut oif, and with the cock by which fluidpressure is admitted to the interior of the pressure chamber, of a spring-eseapemcnt mechanism applied to said cock, whereby pressure is automatically turned on to the press, as set forth.

CHARLES M. STARR. WVitnesses:

J. D. BEAR, J. \V. BEAN. 

